Since I know that sodium reacts violently with chloroform I was wondering if the reactions between sodium and chloromethanes become more violent if
the number of chlorine atoms increase?pyrochem - 1-6-2006 at 14:19
It should, because sodium is inert to hydrocarbons (such as the oil it is stored under). It is reacting with the chlorine, so it should become more
violent with more chlorine. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) should be more violent than chloroform (CHCl3).AllanD - 16-7-2006 at 20:25
Carbon tetrachloride and sodium could actually be dangerous
Though I haven't tried this myself and my education is insufficient to be able to theorise with any near certainty...
but Considering that carbon-tet and finely divided aluminum make a detonatable mixture I'd strongly suggest proceeding with caution lest you
inadvertantly create an intimate mixture
that could react in an energetic reaction...
AllanD
[Edited on 17-7-2006 by AllanD]franklyn - 22-7-2006 at 12:02
Chloroform may be the most reactive chemically. It has a free hydrogen and will react with bases. Carbon tet is fairly stable to bases, no hydrogens
to be acidic and sterically hindered.unionised - 23-7-2006 at 01:00
Chloroform has a long history of use as a solvent. If it were very reactive it couldn't serve that purpose.
Chloromethane has a long standing record as a reagent. It seems likely that it is, in general terms, at least as reactive as chloroform.
Since the question was actually about reaction with sodium and that is known to be explosive with carbon tet, I think that it's fair to say (as far as
this thread is concerned) that carbon tet is the most reactive.
BTW, rather than "I'd strongly suggest proceeding with caution ", I'd suggest not proceding at all.Marvin - 23-7-2006 at 08:15
Chlorine is strongly electronegative, so you start with methane 'world's worst acid'.
Swap a hydrogen for a chlorine and negative charge on the chlorine stabilises the carbanion. H+ CH2Cl- This makes it more acidic than methane and it
now has a dipole moment.
Swap a second and furthur stabilise the carbanion. Increased molecular mass, increased dipole, stronger acid. The gas is now a liquid at RTP.
When you move to chloroform you have the strongest dipole and the strongest acid in the series. Strong enough to react with bases even in water, for
example Reimer Tiermann reaction.
Move to carbon tet and you have no more hydrogen. No dipole, not acid. Strong steric hindrence, nucleophiles just cant get in. This is highly
unreactive to almost everything, used in fire extinguishers for a while.Zinc - 2-10-2006 at 08:08
Quote:
Originally posted by franklyn
By the way, I'm just curious Zinc
are you a terrorist ?
No I am not a terrorist.S.C. Wack - 2-10-2006 at 12:32
According to this, the mixture of chloroform and sodium is shock-sensitive and the authors suggest that it is not dangerous otherwise.
Attachment: jacs_60_720_1938.pdf (319kB) This file has been downloaded 729 times
Waffles - 3-10-2006 at 11:19
Quote:
Originally posted by franklyn
By the way, I'm just curious Zinc
are you a terrorist ?
There are much more efficient, cheaper, and less exotic ways to make chemical compositions intended for malicious purposes. Don't be melodramatic.
